Celebrating one year of Gary!

Our wonderful Internal Trainer Gary McCarthy is celebrating his first workiversary with us this April. We caught up with him with a few questions about how his first year has been.

Gary! Congratulations on your one year anniversary with us! It’s great to have you as part of the team. We have some questions for you…

1. What inspired you to become a healthcare trainer?

I fell into it 30 odd years ago! I’d just come out of the Army as an RPS trainer for their territorial unit, where I was teaching new recruits and junior officers. This job took me all over the world. When I left, a friend of mine asked me to do some training for his care company, so I did, and the rest is history.

2. What were you doing before joining Safehands Recruitment?

I worked for a training company, where I actually looked after Safehands. I always enjoyed working with the team here and when the opportunity arose to become their Internal Trainer, I took it. They’re a forward thinking company and it’s ideal to have an internal training provision – it means we can be more reactive and train workers quickly with additional skills when a service needs it.

3. How has your first year with Safehands been?

It has involved a lot of travelling! I carry out training at all of our branches so I’m a regular in our care agencies in Cheltenham, Telford, Cardiff, Stoke on Trent, Worcester and Hereford. I’ve delivered over 120 training courses over the last year and it’s been really rewarding to receive consistently good feedback, alongside getting to know our workers and everyone out in the branches.

4. How do you ensure training keeps up with industry standards and regulations?

I update my own training on a yearly basis, alongside receiving updates from Care Training and CQC advising of new standards to be included or old ones to remove.

5. What are some of the biggest challenges in training?

Getting everyone to turn up on time! And making sure I always deliver the course in a way that all participants can understand and put into practice effectively.

6. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for a great healthcare worker?

Good communication and the ability to adapt and use common sense. Sometimes you have to ‘predict the unpredictable’ and think on your feet, and common sense is crucial in those times. And of course, a caring nature.

7. What advice would you give to someone starting out in healthcare?

Go in with an open mind. And if you are unsure, ask questions. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t think that is right”. And remember, the opportunities are endless, it’s a career you can stay in forever and work your way up.

8. How does Safehands Recruitment’s training ensure that care staff are fully prepared to deliver high-quality care in professional settings?

All trainees carry out a full range of practical training and assessments and we don’t sign anyone off who isn’t ready and doesn’t meet the required standard. If they fall below this, we provide additional training until they are ready. I take the stance, ‘Would I want this person looking after me?’ Only once they are ready will I sign off their certificate.

9. What external training courses do we offer, and how can healthcare settings benefit from them?

Every course that I provide internally, I can deliver externally also. This ranges from Moving and Handling and Basic Life Support to Buccal Administration, PEG Feeding and Stoma Care. A full list of courses and prices is available here.

10. How does investing in high-quality training impact staff retention, compliance, and overall care standards in healthcare settings?

Our mix of e-learning and classroom-based training empowers our workers to feel confident in the settings they work in, coupled with the ongoing support of our Branch Managers and Service Managers, who help them carry this learning into practice. We notice an enormous amount of staff retention which in no doubt is linked to this, alongside the other great benefits we offer workers here. Our training provision is regularly reviewed to ensure it adheres to compliance standards, which in turn means that we are trusted to provide the highest standards of care in the healthcare settings we support.

11. Over the past year, you’ve played a key role in shaping the skills and confidence of so many healthcare workers. What impact do you think you’ve had – not just on the team, but on the lives of the people they go on to care for?

I am super proud of this! Equipping our workers with the skills they need to be excellent carers is something I am really passionate about. We place emphasis on this not being just a ‘care’ job, but about promoting each individual’s independence. I know that this translates into the work they do, and the feedback we receive from our clients is a testament to this.

12. What can we expect from you in year two?

We have lots of ideas in the pipeline to offer an even more comprehensive and improved training service. There are meetings happening soon, so watch this space!

13. And lastly, tell us a little known fact about you?

I love to read! Anything from history, to autobiographies to murder mysteries and everything in between. I have just built a library at home, so when I am relaxing away from work, you will most likely find me in there.

To get in touch with Gary about the courses he offers, call or email today:

01242 505 415

garym@safehandsrecruitment.co.uk